He who boasts is not enlightened, and he who is self-righteous does not gain respect from those who are meritorious; thus, he gains nothing, and will fall into disrepute. Since striving, boasting and self-righteousness are all unnecessary traits, the Wise One considers them excessive, and has no need of them.

DURBAN 2011: AFTER ANOTHER year of extreme weather events, including October's flooding in the Dublin area, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned global warming will cause even stronger storms, more heatwaves, droughts and wildfires unless steps are taken to curb the current trends.

Its latest report, Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters , released on November 18th, says scientists are “virtually certain” the world will have more extreme spells of heat, and fewer cold spells. Heatwaves could be as much as 5 degrees hotter by 2050 and even 9 degrees hotter by 2100.

If greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere continue rising inexorably, “it is likely that the frequency of hot days will increase by a factor of 10 in most regions of the world”, according to Thomas Stocker, co-chair of the IPCC working group. Likewise, heavy rainfall will occur more often, and tropical cyclones will become more intense.

To accept the irrevocable is to let go of desire. He who does not have trust in others should not himself be trusted. He who stretches beyond his reach does not stand firmly upon the ground; just as he who travels at a speed or beyond his means, cannot maintain his pace.

Nature’s way is to say but little; high winds are made still with the turn of the tide, and rarely last all morning, or heavy rain, all day. Therefore, when talking, remember also to be silent, to be still and listen. He who follows the natural way is always at one with the Force of All That There Is. He who is virtuous may experience virtue, whilst he who loses the natural way is easily lost himself. He who is at one with the Force of Life is at one with Nature; and virtue always exists for he who has virtue.

US citizens of all political persuasions are still reeling from images of unparallelled police brutality in a coordinated crackdown against peaceful OWS protesters in cities across the nation this past week. An elderly woman was pepper-sprayed in the face; the scene of unresisting, supine students at UC Davis being pepper-sprayed by phalanxes of riot police went viral online; images proliferated of young women ,“ targeted seemingly for their gender ,“ screaming, dragged by the hair by police in riot gear; and the pictures of a young man, stunned and bleeding profusely from the head, emerged in the record of the middle-of-the-night clearing of Zuccotti Park.

The wise man embraces The All, which is encompassing. He is unaware of himself, and so has brilliance; not defending himself, he gains distinction; not seeking fame, he receives recognition; not making false claims, he does not falter; and not being quarrelsome, is in conflict with no one. This is why it was said by the High Caulbearers of old, “Yield, and maintain integrity; be whole, and all things come to you”. Resist not the force of evil, lest it break you. Better to bend, and render it confused and disarmed.

To bend is also to be upright; to be empty of evil is to be full of its opposite. Those who have little have much to gain, but those who have much may be confused because they are possessed by their possessions.

The force that brought about the creation of the Earth and all that is upon and within the Earth is wonderful to contemplate: but beware belief, for only knowledge can bring men closer to understanding.